Chinese Companies Expand Surveillance Projects in Africa

 China-Africa Security Radar published on 21 March 2026 an article titled "Guinea's New Safe City Deal Pushes China's Surveillance Footprint to Nearly Half of Africa."

Guinea obtained a loan from China's Export-Import Bank to install urban surveillance systems across 324 sites in 8 cities.  The stated purpose is to enhance public security, emergency response, urban planning, and governance.

At least 26 African countries now have Chinese safe city systems either operational, planned, or stalled.  A key feature of these systems is facial recognition. The systems are often installed in a weak regulatory environment leaving them open to abuse.

China Expands Military Footprint in Africa

 The African Center for Strategic Studies published on 30 January 2026 a paper titled "China's Military Footprint in Africa Deepens with People's Liberation Army-led BRICS Naval Drills" by Paul Nantulya.  

The January 2026 BRICS Plus naval exercise in South African waters led by China's People's Liberation Army underscored Beijing's use of military power in Africa to advance Chinese geostrategic objectives.  China views BRICS Plus as part of an alternative global security and geopolitical architecture intended to counterbalance Western and US-led initiatives.  

Beijing has invested heavily in securing African participation in Chinese-led global initiatives to enhance its legitimacy, build regional voting blocs, and strengthen China's leverage amid global rivalries.  It accomplishes this through military exercises, naval port calls, creating security architecture, arms sales, and military training.

Al-Shabaab Attack on Chinese Workers' Camp in Kenya

 The Eastleigh Voice published on 16 December 2025 an article titled "Police Repel Al-Shabaab Raid on Chinese Workers' Camp in Mandera" by Mary Wambui.

Police in Mandera, Kenya, repelled an al-Shabaab attack from neighboring Somalia on a Chinese contractor's residence.  Al-Shabaab damaged some equipment but did not injure any Chinese nationals.  

Kenya and China Hold Security Talks on Bilateral Projects

 Capital FM published on 9 December 2025 an article titled "Kenya, China Hold High-Level Security Review on Bilateral Projects" by Bruhan Makong.

Reflecting Chinese concerns about security for its personnel working on infrastructure projects in Kenya, its deputy director general for security cooperation led a delegation to Nairobi to discuss the safety of Chinese nationals, project sites, and equipment undertaken through Kenya-China cooperation.  

China's Foreign Police Training

 The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published on 13 November 2025 a detailed study titled "China's Foreign Police Training: A Global Footprint" by Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Isaac B. Kardon, and Cameron Waltz.  

This carefully researched study notes that China's police training is one of the Global Security Initiative's most concrete deliverables and most measurable commitments.  Countries in Africa and China's neighbors in Central and Southeast Asia have been the most frequent participants of its police training activities.  

Sino-Moroccan Security Cooperation

 Morocco World News published on 11 November 2025 an article titled "Morocco, China Strengthen Security Cooperation Ahead of Interpol Assembly in Marrakech."  

Morocco's growing relations with China recently included undefined security cooperation.  The two countries agreed to "exchange expertise in various areas of security."

China-Africa Police Collaboration

 China-Africa Security Radar published on 9 November 2025 a commentary titled "China-Africa Police Collaboration."

Between 2018 and 2021, more than 2,000 African police and law enforcement officials received training at Chinese police academies.  The programs combined technical and operational training.  

Implementing China's Global Security Initiative in Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 30 August 2025 an article titled "A New Model for Peace? China Takes Its Global Security Initiative to Africa" by Jevans Nyabiage.

Africa is a key testing area for China's Global Security Initiative (GSI), which is evolving from an ambiguous concept to concrete training and military and police assistance programs.  The GSI also encourages China's security model, which has the potential to entrench a politicized military.  

Nigeria Extradites Mob Boss to China

 Business Insider Africa published on 25 August 2025 an article titled "Police Confirm That a Violent Chinese Mob Boss Hiding in Nigeria Has Been Deported" by Chinedu Okafor.

Wanted in China for directing violent organized crimes, INTERPOL tracked down the Chinese national in Nigeria, which then repatriated him to China.

Africa and China's Global Security Initiative

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 4 August 2025 a paper titled "Africa as a Testing Ground for China's Global Security Initiative" by Paul Nantulya. 

China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) is slowly taking on concrete structure.  GSI principles are designed to appeal to the Global South and are being integrated into the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.  African governments also see GSI as another source of security assistance.  

Ethiopian Police Raid Office of Ethiopian Standard

 The Committee to Protect Journalists posted on 22 April 2025 a press release titled "Ethiopia Police Raid Addis Standard, Detain 3 Managers."

Ethiopian police raided the privately-owned news outlet Addis Standard's office and an employee's home.  They detained 3 managers for several hours, explaining they were under investigation on suspicion of preparing to produce a documentary that might incite violence.  The publisher of the paper denied the allegation.

China's Security Engagement in Africa Challenges the West's Approach

 The European Hub for Contemporary China posted on 21 October 2024 a commentary titled "China's Security Engagement with Africa & the 'Global South' Narrative" by Fatoumata Diallo and Maud Deschamps.  

As African countries have grown increasingly disillusioned with Western security engagement, China has progressively assumed a more assertive role in African security, shifting from a norm-taker to a norm-shaper approach.  China's influence presents challenges for the EU's engagement in Africa, necessitating a reassessment of its approach to security cooperation with African nations  

China Steps Up Security Cooperation with Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 29 September 2024 an article titled "China Works to Keep the Peace in East Africa as Security Issues Threaten Investments" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

China is increasing its police and military cooperation with African countries in an effort to improve security.  Part of the rationale for this cooperation is to help protect China's interests in Africa and its personnel living and working there.  

Aljazeera Podcast Panel on US Africa Policy and the Kenyan President's Visit

 Aljazeera's Inside Story posted on 24 May 2024 a 27-minute panel program titled "What Do African Countries Stand to Gain from William Ruto's US Visit?"

The panel consisting of two persons in Nairobi and one in Washington discussed a range of issues concerning President Willim Ruto's state visit to the United States and US policy in Africa.  The moderator also focused on competition the United States is facing from China and Russia in Africa. 

Sudan's Competing Generals Seek International Support

 Aljazeera published on 2 January 2024 an article titled "Sudan's Feared Military Leader Signals Ambition to Rule the Country."

Sudan's competing generals, Sudan Armed Forces leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have been travelling in the region seeking support to control all of Sudan.  Neither one appears to have much interest in peace talks or mediation.  

Inside a Chinese Service Center in Tanzania

 Axios published on 6 December 2023 an article titled "Exclusive: Inside a Beijing-linked Chinese Help Center in Tanzania" by Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian.

The article provides a look inside a Chinese Overseas Service Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  This center and dozens of others around the world allow Beijing to help its citizens abroad with everyday problems while replicating the tools China uses keep tabs on them. 

The centers operate under the auspices of a Communist Party of China (CPC) bureau tasked with amplifying support for the party and marginalizing dissent.  In Africa, China also has Overseas Service Centers in South Africa, Angola, and Nigeria.  In Dar es Salaam, the center shares space with the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification, a CPC-affiliated organization.  The center's director denied that it has any relationship with the Chinese embassy or government.    

The South Africa Chinese Community and Police Cooperation Centre

 The University of Witwatersrand Africa-China Reporting Project posted on 10 October 2023 an article titled "The South Africa-Chinese Community and Police Cooperation Centre in the Media: 2022-2023." 

Eighteen years ago, the governments of South Africa and China established the South Africa Chinese Community and Police Cooperation Centre to assist in the protection of the Chinese community living and working in South Africa.  In April 2023, the Centre opened its 15th branch office in South Africa.  

Namibia Halts Chinese Company's Lithium Exports

 Reuters published on 24 October 2023 an article titled "Namibia Orders Police to Stop Chinese Firm's Lithium Exports" by Nyasha Nyaungwa.

Namibia recently banned the export of unprocessed lithium and other critical minerals as it seeks to encourage local processing.  The Namibian government ordered its police to stop a Chinese company from transporting and exporting lithium ore, accusing it of violating the ban.   

China-Africa Peace and Security Forum: Mostly Rhetoric

 The New Delhi-based Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses published on 6 September 2023 an analysis titled "The China-Africa Peace and Security Forum: Practical Outcomes or Same Old Rhetoric?" by Abhishek Mishra.  

The third iteration of the China-Africa Peace and Security Forum took place in China from 28 August to 2 September 2023.  Over 100 participants from 50 African countries attended the event.  The author concluded that the conference achieved very little apart from rhetorical commitments.  

Chinese Military Training for Africa

 The US Institute of Peace published in July 2023 a study titled "Chinese Professional Military Education for Africa: Key Influence and Strategy" by Paul Nantulya.  

The report describes the People's Liberation Army's support for African independence movements during the decolonization period and then examines recent trends in Chinese professional military training (PME), focusing on the training African officers receive in China.  It sketches the larger political context and ideological framework within which Chinese PME functions and explores how China has used the ties its PME has created or strengthened to overcome political differences with African countries and to serve its broader strategic interests.  The report examines the impressions African officers have of Chinese PME and how it compares with what the West offers.  It concludes with key takeaways and policy implications for American policymakers and military educators as they consider what China's PME approach in Africa means in the context of strategic competition with China.